Printing plate and base mount therefor



Nov. 30, 1948; w. A. MADIGAN 2,455,075

PRINTING PLATE AND BASE MOUNT THEREFOR Filed Feb. 12, 1947 4Sheets-Sheet l Ziowng/ Nov. so. 1948.

W. A. MADIGAN PRINTING PLATE AND BASE MOUNT THEREFOR 4 Sheets-SheeifiFiled Feb. 12, 1947 I F L r Nomfifi, 1948. WQAwMADIGAN PRINTINGPLATEwAND B ASE MOUNT THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 12, 1947 &2

f 7 7, f w W Patented Nov. 30, 1948 PRINTING PLATE mew: M U T} THEREFORWilliam A. Madigan, Barbentom. ohm, assignon to The Diamond: MatchQomnanu;.-New York N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application February12, 1947; Serial' N0; 728;053

5 Claims. (CLlmL-w3i84l) This invention relates to printing plates andbase mounts therefor, having particular though not exclusive referenceto electro-plates and mounts for use in multi-color printing.

The principal object of my invention is to provide printing plates andbase mounts therefor having complementary positioning and lock:- ing'means of simple and efiicient construction whereby a pluralitypfindividual mounts can be accurately assembled and locked up.in closerelation to' each other within a, press form, whereby the plates can bedirectly and interchangeably located with precision upon and firmlysecured to the respective mounts, or any of them, with the edges ofadjacent plates in proximity to each other andwithout recourse toprecision adjusting instrumentalities for the plates, and. whereby saidplates can be severally released andremovedwith facility from the.respective mounts. within the form. Without. afiecting the relativepositions of the, assembled mounts or the remaining plates thereon.

With this object in view, and others which will presentlyappear, myinvention comprises novel features of construction and combinations ofparts, all of which will be hereinafter described, the scope oitheinvention being expressedv in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1. is a perspective view of an associatedprinting plate and'base mountem'bodyin my invention.

Fig. 2'is a similar view= ofthe plate and mount asinverted.

Fig. 3 is a separate view of thebase mount.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view'of the plate-clamping element as removedfrom the body of the mount.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a form of shim forseparatingadjacent'basemounts;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section onthe line 66 of Fig. 1'.

Fig. 7 is a similar View showin the printing plate as elevatedpreparatory to its. application to or its removal from. the base. mount.

Fig. 8' is a plan of a mount assembly locked up. within a. press form orchase,. showing two groups of electro-plates as, applied. to, adjacentbase mounts.

Fig. 9 is a section through one-of the groups of plates and their.complementary mountings; as on the lines 9-9- of Figs. Sand 10, showingthe adjacent: edges. of. adjoining plates. soldered-.toe sem n. Y

Fig; 1 0" is: a plan or" one of the groups, parts of" the printingplates being broken away.

Fig. 111'- is='a-'plan of one of the plates as prefparedby-theelectrotyper:

Fig. 12 is a bottom view of said plate after it has been drilled andmilled before the trimming operation.

Fig. 1 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of a modifiedform of theclampin means for the printing plateand base mount.

Fig-5L4 is a similarview of the modified constructionshowingthe-printing plate as elevated preparatory to its" application to oritsremoval from-the base mount.

Fig. 1 51s asepa-rate-view oithe modified clamping element.

I Referringt'o the drawings, L6 designates a base mount and I a printingplate thereon, such, for example; as' anelectro-plate. The base mountcomprises a body of suitable form, having a flat upper: surface providedwith spaced-1 upstanding studs: orprojections I8. located at: definitepoints in relationtto theidesign or'other matter: on. the printingsurfaceiof the superposed; plate. At one end: of the upper, surface ofthe; body of the base mount" is-zlocateda clamping head L9: convenientlyformed: oma depending. stem. 2!]; which is slidably fitted in a suitablylocated hole thinthe body and is: provided; adjacent itslower end: witha peripheral groove. 227.. At the: opposite: end; of; the bodyarevsuitiably-locatedscrew-receiving; holes. 23... In theiunder surfaceof. the body i'sa. longitudinally extending:-. channel Z45 within;which;. throughout .thealengtl'rof the. channel, is; movahly fittedvarock lever 25@ comprising albarn supported. at or about its midsectionby a transversepivotpin 26: extend,

.ing through. the walls: oli-thez channel;. The. end of: the lever 25:beneath; the clampin head. is bifurcated,v asa.at'21(,.sov as freely to:embrace the lowen grooved portion 22'! of: the: stem; and the oppositeend( of therba-rris: expanded tov afford a foot; portionlil'r which; isloosely: fitted; within a suitable: recess; 29: constituting: lateralextensions of? the: channel; The foot. of the. rock lever hastheneinrtappedi holes: 3i!v located in axial align.- ment: with screw;receiving holes. 23.:- of: the body; Qf-IiiihEz base mount, and: hence.by properly mamplliaizingrsuitableascnewsiSZhfitted in;theccmzplementary holesi of the; bodyrand the. rock lever, thealelvercam be: actuated to. raisewor lower; as desiredhthezstem and: its;clamping head,v as will p escntlyrappean.

.One of the; longitudinal sides; of. the body of the; bases mount. isprovided: with. spaced:- parallel pinsizoni projections 32;; and: the:other: side. isspnoa Iii width with the dimensions of the upper surfaceof the complementary body of the base, and therefore when the plate isimposed on such body the edges of the plate are flush with the sides andends of the body. The back or under surface of the plate has formedtherein sockets 35 corresponding in number and diameter with theprojections l8 of the bod of the base mount, which sockets are locatedat definite points in relation to the design or other, printing matterof the plate, so that when the plate is imposed on the mount theprojections 18 of the latter mate with the sockets of the plate,-therebyinsuring the accurate positioning of theplate on the mount,

The end ofthe plate adjacent the clampin head 19 has formed in its undersurface a longitudinally extending recess 36 having under-cut walls 31which, when the'clamping head; has been elevated by manipulation of thescrews 3| (as seen in Fig. '2) slidably receive such headuntil thesockets 35 of the plate, by its longitudinal movement, are in axialalignment with the upstanding projections 18 of the base-mount; it beingnoted that the head 19 is of sufficient size to support the raisedprinting plate in parallelism,

or substantially so, with the upper surface of the body of the mount.This done, thescrews 3! are manipulated to actuate the .rock lever andretract the head l9, thus clamping the plate firmly upon the top of thebase, with thepositioning projections I8 of the latter in lookingengagement with" the sockets of the ,plate. 'As shown in Fig. 12 thepositioning sockets 35 and the locking recess 36 are formed in thebottom of the printing plate in'spaced' relation to each other and arelocated on a median line extending longitudinally of the plate asprepared by the electrotyper, I

A dead space, as at 38, at the end of the plate remote. from theclamping ihead has .formed therein holes 39 which register with theholes 23 of the base and receive the screws 3|, which screws thus notonly additionally. secure the plate to the base in orders. to relieveundue strain on the locking clamp, but they also facilitate the platemounting operation.

In carrying out my invention in a simple and efficient manner, anelectro-plate, for example, as prepared by the electrotyper and. bearingthe usual registerin marks (0) at the respective ends of its uppersurface (Fig. 11). is precisely adjusted and secured within a. drillingjig, having at its respective ends suitably located. transparentportions bearing registering marks corresponding in numberand relationwith lthose of the plate. This done, the described positioning sockets35 are drilled in the under side of the plateat predetermined points inrelation to, but not through, the printingsurface of the plate. At thesame time the screw holes 39 can be drilled in the plate (see Fig. 12).The electro-plate is then removed from the jig and the milling of theunder-cut recess 36 in one end of the under side of the plate isefiected. Thereupon the plate is trimmed at its ends to the desiredlength for application to the upper surface of the body of the base, aspreviously described.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when a plurality of identicalbase mounts are properly assembled and locked up in the press form 34,as seen in Fig, 8, a permanent location of the respectivemounts of the'assembly is established.

It will also be. seenthatthe construction and arrangement of the platepositioning and clamping construction requires no spaces between theedges of the adjoining plates when they are mounted in the form, andoccupies no space on the upper or printing surfaces of the plates.However, if occasion require, exact variation of spacing betweenadjacent individual base mounts in the press form can be effected by theinsertion of metal shims 40 between the adjoining mounts. As shown inFigs. 5, 9 and 10, each of the shims conforms in height and length tothe dimensions of a base mount and has suitably located slots or notches4| to enable the shim to clear the opposing laterally projecting studs32 of the base mount.

It will also be seen that the printing plates can be accuratelypositioned and clamped singly or in groups upon the base mounts lockedup in the press form, and that any desired number of the plates can bereadily unclamped, raised and removed from their respective mountswithout affecting the relative positions of the assembled mounts or theremaining printing plates of the composition.

In order to-insure precise spacing and positive register of printingplates for single or multiple bleed-off design when grouped more thanone 'designto the plate, the abutting edges of the mounted plates aresoldered together, as indicated at 42 (Figs. 9 and 10), in which casethe integral multiple plate thus produced can be readily removed fromthe respective supporting base mounts therefor, thus constituting apattern from which additional identical groups of plates for use inprinting can be prepared in accordance with standard procedure.

The invention hereinbefore described provides for use in multi-colorwork, printing plates and base mounts whereby proper pre-register of theplates can be effected with facility; whereby positive pre-location ofthe printing plates in the press form can be insured without recourse tokey forms; whereby substantial reduction of make ready requirement inpreparation of press forms and in printing operation, is attained;whereby quick change of all or any part of the composition in the pressform can be accomplished, and whereby the preparation of printing platesfor single or multiple bleed-off" design when grouped more than onedesign to a plate, is facilitated.

In Figs. 13, 14 and 15 is shown a modified form of printing plateclamping means comprising a T-nut 96 which is slidably guided in theupper portion of a vertical opening in the body of the mount. The nut isthreaded on the upper end of a vertical screw 43 which extends throughand is guided in a reduced lower portion 44 of the opening, such screwand nut being urged upward by means of a spring 45 seated within theopen ing between the nut and the shoulder at the reduced portion of theopening. The shoulder is located a suitable distance above the bottom ofthe body of the mount so that the underlying portion of the openingreceives the head 46 of the screw 43, which head is normally held inyielding contact with the under side of the shoulder and is manipulativefrom the bottom of the mount. Hence by turning the screw head in onedirection the nut is bodily raised by the action of the screw and thespring, and thereafter by reversely turning the screw the nut isretracted against the force of the spring. In this case the screws 43simply secure to the base the end of the plate remote from the clampingmember I90.

I claim:

1. A printing plate having in its under surface spaced sockets locatedat predetermined positions in relation to the printing matter on theupper surface of the plate and having also in its under surface at oneend of the plate a guide and clamp recess, in combination with a basemount for said plate comprising a body having upstanding projectionslocated in mating relation to said sockets, and clamping means supportedby said body, said means including a vertically movable clamping memberlocated at the top of said body and slidably received by the end recessof said printing plate, said recess and clamping means being soconstructed and arranged that by actuation of the latter the plate canbe raised or lowered in respect to the upper surface of the body of themount.

2. A printing plate having in its under surface spaced sockets locatedat predetermined positions in relation to the printing matter on theupper surface of the plate and having also in its under surface at oneend of the plate a guide and clamp recess, in combination with a basemount for said plate comprising a body having upstanding projectionslocated in, mating relation to said sockets, and clamping meanssupported by said body, said means comprising a vertically-movable stemsupported by the base mount, a clamping head on the upper end of thestem and slidably received by the recess of the plate, and means foractuating said stem, said recess and clamping means being so constructedand arranged that by actuation of the stem the plate can be raised orlowered in respect to the upper Surface of the body of the mount.

3. A printing plate having in its under surface spaced sockets locatedat predetermined positions in relation to the printing matter on theupper surface of the plate and having also in its under surface at oneend of the plate a guide and clamp recess, in combination with a basemount for said plate comprising a body having upstanding projectionslocated in mating relation to said sockets and having in its under sidea longitudinal channel, and clamping means supported by said body, saidmeans comprising a vertically movable stem guided in said body, aclamping head on the upper end of the stem and slidably received by therecess of the plate, a rock lever movably fitted in and extendinglongitudinally of said channel, one end of said lever operativelyconnected to the lower portion of the stem, and means for actuating theopposite end of the said lever to effect the clamping of the proximateportion of the plate to said body by the clamping head, said recess andclamping head being so constructed and arranged that by manipulation ofthe lever actuating means the plate can be raised or lowered in respectto the upper surface of the body of the mount.

4. A printing plate having in its under surface spaced sockets locatedat predetermined positions in relation to the printing matter on theupper surface of the plate and having also in its under surface at oneend of the plate a guide and clamp recess, in combination with a basemount for said plate comprising a body having upstanding projectionslocated in mating relation to said sockets, and clamping means supportedby said body, said means comprising a vertically-movable stem supportedby the base mount, a clamping member threaded on the upper end of thestem and slidable in the recess of the plate, said recess and clampingmeans being so constructed and arranged that by actuation of the latterthe plate can be raised or lowered in respect to the upper surface ofthe body of the mount.

5. A plurality of identical base mounts for mul ti-color printingplates, said base mounts being assembled in close relation to each otherand each of said plates corresponding in length and width with thedimensions of the upper surface of a mount and also having in its undersurface a guide and clamp portion, mating means for each base mount andits associated plate for correctly positioning the plate on the mount,clamping and releasing means for each individual mount and itsassociated plate, said latter means including a vertically-movableelement having a clamping member engageable with said guide and clampportion of the plate, and means for manipulating said element to unclampthe plate and elevate it above the base mount or to lower the plate andclamp it to said mount, as desired, whereby the assembled plates can beseverally released and removed from. their respective mounts withoutaffecting the relative positions of the assembled mounts or theremaining plates thereon.

WILLIAM A. MADIGAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

